Heavily influenced by acts like Yazoo, Human League, Depeche Mode, Rational Youth and Robert Marlow, Richard Johansson and Leslie Bayne started the band in 1988 under the name Pole Position.
Robert Enforsen joined the band as lead vocalist in 1989, and the band released their first demo, at which point they changed their name to elegant MACHINERY, a name derived from the album by Data.
Due to Leslie Bayne's stagefright, Johan Malmgren joined the band as a tour musician in 1992. He later became a permanent member.
The band was very successful in Sweden, with a number of successful singles and various awards. In the rest of Europe, their biggest break into the mainstream was with the single Process, which reached number 5 in the Spanish charts.
elegant MACHINERY disbanded in 1999.
In 2001, the band temporarily reunited (with Johan temporarily replaced by Jarmo Ollila of Daily Planet) for their first-ever American appearance, followed by a performance in Mexico. Over the next few years, the band performed a number of times in Europe.
In October 2004, after a successful gig at Romo Night in Gothenburg, the band decided to work on new music. Johan, Richard, and Robert have been joined by original member Leslie Bayne, and plan to release a new single in 2006.
During the band's hiatus, Robert Enforsen worked on a number of side projects, including Enforce, Hype, Gobble & Gag, and Red Light District. Meanwhile, Johan Malmgren joined the Swedish band S.P.O.C.K as a keyboardist, programmer and composer. Johan and Robert also produced the debut album "Lost in a Maze" of the Swedish-British band Univaque in 2004.
Restrain
Elegant Machinery Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
It feels like nothing happens here
Those written words lay before me
On a tear-stained letter I stare
I´ll try to restrain
(although you tied my heart in chains)
And recollect my broken pieces
(although you tied my heart in chains)
And never fool myself again
I´ll try to restrain
(although you tied my heart in chains)
And recollect my broken pieces
I´ll try to restrain
(although you tied my heart in chains)
And never fool myself again
It´s no use to hold on to
This fading picture on my wall
I´ll try to restrain
(although you tied my heart in chains)
And recollect my broken pieces
I´ll try to restrain
(although you tied my heart in chains)
And never fool myself again
I´ll try to restrain
In "Restrain," Elegant Machinery describes the pain and difficulty of trying to move on from a past love that continues to haunt and affect them. The lyrics convey a sense of being stuck in a negative cycle and struggling to let go.
The opening lines suggest a sense of stagnation and hopelessness as the singer can't seem to move forward despite their best efforts. The torn and stained letter represents a physical manifestation of the emotional trauma that they are dealing with. However, even in the face of this pain, the singer vows to try and put themselves back together again.
The repetition of the chorus expresses the singer's determination to overcome the hold their former lover has on them. They know they have to try and break free from the chains that bind them emotionally. Ultimately, they recognize that clinging to memories of the past is pointless, and affirm that they will work on moving forward and not deceiving themselves again.
Line by Line Meaning
It's hard to move on any further
I am finding it difficult to progress and move forward in life after the emotional turmoil caused by you
It feels like nothing happens here
My life has become stagnant as the memories of you continue to weigh heavy in my heart and mind
Those written words lay before me
I am constantly reminded of your existence through the painful words you have etched on paper, which are now in front of me
On a tear-stained letter I stare
The emotion-filled letter I received from you earlier has left me heartbroken and in tears as I read it over and over again
I'll try to restrain (although you tied my heart in chains) And recollect my broken pieces I'll try to restrain (although you tied my heart in chains) And never fool myself again
I acknowledge that you have a hold over my heart, but I am determined to gather up the pieces of my shattered heart and try to move on without you, promising to never let myself fall for you again
It's no use to hold on to This fading picture on my wall
I realize that holding onto memories of you through a fading picture on my wall is futile as it only brings back painful memories and does not help me in moving on
Lyrics © OBO APRA/AMCOS
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